The future

When will people from other non-visa waver countries be allowed entry into New Zealand? At the moment this is planned for October but could be brought forward.

What about the maritime borders, will cruise ships be back soon?

The maritime border arrangements have not changed. They are currently under review, part of that consideration is when cruise ships could be allowed back to New Zealand.

When will the COVID Protection Framework (traffic lights) be reviewed?

The COVID Protection Framework and the future of mandates, My Vaccine Pass is currently under review. Announcements will be made next week about the future of the COVID-19 response.

How long are My Vaccine Passes likely to be in place for?

Cabinet are considering the future use of vaccine passes and there will be an announcement made next week.

Have we reached the Omicron peak yet?

In Auckland, its likely we have but the rest of the country has not yet.

How long will the whole country stay at Red for?

It is likely we ’ll stay at Red until we have safely passed the Omicron peak.

Do I have to keep scanning in?

Scanning is encouraged so that you have a personal record of the places you’ve been, this is especially important if you have visited any higher risk locations.

What happens when My Vaccine Pass expire in June?

My Vaccine Passes were always scheduled to last for a selected time period. Further announcements will be made about this in the future.

Has reporting of COVID-19 deaths now changed?

Since 10 March 2022, the Ministry of Health moved to a new approach to reporting deaths of people who have COVID-19. The Ministry will report all deaths of people who die within 28 days of testing positive for COVID-19. This is the approach used by the UK and many other countries. Whenever new deaths are publicly reported, the Ministry will include a new total of deaths in its 1pm statements.

Self-isolation

Summary:

If you have tested positive for COVID-19, you will need to isolate for at least 7 days while you recover from COVID-19. Start counting your 7 days from day 0. Day 0 is the day that your symptoms started or the day that you got tested if you do not have any symptoms. You can isolate in your home or suitable alternative accommodation. This could be another property that you have access to, or are provided, that is more suitable for self-isolation than where you usually live.